Circuit breaker operating mechanism



y 4, 1956 R. J. BASKERVILLE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPERATING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1953 Bask ville,

y 24, 1956 R- J. BASKERVILLE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPERATING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1953 Inventor: 'RaPEJJ. Baskerville,

His b'tor'neg.

United States Patent CIRCUIT BREAKER OPERATING MECHANISM Ralph J.Baskerville, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application October 1, 1953, Serial'No. 383,567

15 Claims. (Cl. 200-16?) This invention relates to an operatingmechanism for a circuit breaker and, more particularly, to an operatingmechanism which depends for its proper operation upon the ability ofcertain parts of the mechanism to rapidly reverse their direction ofmovement.

In certain types of circuit breakers having an operating handle manuallyoperable in one direction to effect closing of the breaker contacts,proper operation of the breaker is possible only if the operating handleis free to move in a reverse direction in response to opening of thebreaker contacts. An example of such a circuit breaker is a breaker ofthe automatically reclosing type such as is disclosed and claimed inPatent No. 2,633,514, McCurry et all, which is assigned tothe assigneeof the present invention. For example, in the circuit breaker disclosedin the McCurry et al. patentthere is provided a manually operable handlewhich is automatically movable by the circuit breaker to an openposition in response to the breaker contacts being locked open' due to apredetermined electrical fault condition. Now in the event that thisfault condition has not cleared after the handle has been locked open,and the handle is subsequently manually operated, as by a hook stick, toeffect reclosing of the breaker contacts, it is highly desirable thatthe circuit breaker relockout immediately in response to a singletime-delayed opening of the breaker contacts. Although theaforementioned circuit recloser is capable of this desirable relockoutmovement, such movement can be defeated unless the operator, aftermanually lifting the handle with the hook stick so as to reclose thebreaker contacts, immediately removes his hook stick from the eye of thehandle, i. e., at least before-the expiration of the sing e time-delayedreopening period, thereby to permit the handle to move freely downwardlyagain coincident with the relockout movement. If such downward movementof the handle is'prevented, the desired relockout of the recloser wouldalso be prevented. Accordingly, it will be observed that properoperation of such'a breaker is not assured unless theoperator isprevent'edfrom holding the handle in the closed, or reset, position fora period of time exceeding the time-delayed reopening period.

It is therefore an object of my invention'to provide for a circuitbreaker anew and improved operating handle construction which acts toprevent the possibility of improper operation of the breaker due tothe-handle being held in a closed or reset position for an excessiveperiod of time.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a means forautomatically uncoupling the movable contact structure of a circuitbreaker from operative relationship with a manually-controlled operatingpart after movement of said part has caused said contact structure tomove to closed position.

It is a further object of my invention'to provide in an operatingmechanism having a handle which is manuallyoperable through a hookstick, means whereby the hook stick is automatically rendered'incapableof holding the 2, handle in closed position after a predeterminedclosing movement of the handle.

In carrying out my invention in one form, there is provided, forproducing movement oftlie movable contact structure of a circuitbreaker, an operating mechanism comprising an operating shaft, acooperating handle structure mounted on said shaft and having a portionwhich receives a hook stick for effecting operation of said shaft, andmeans for automatically uncoupling said hook stick fromforce-transmitting relationship with said shaft after predeterminedmovement of said operating mechanism.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds, and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part ofthis specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view showing, in openposition, one embodiment of a handle constructed in accordance with thepresent invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the handle of Fig. 1 shownas it is moved into closedposition" and at the instant that the hookstick is released from force-transmitting relationship with the handle;Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa side view of a second form of handle embodying the present invention,the bandle being shown in closed position; and Fig. 5 is a side view ofthe handle of Fig. 4 shown in open position. Figs. 6 and 7 are sideviews of still anotherform of handle constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

While the present invention is particularly applicable to circuitbreakers of the type shown in the aforementioned McCurry et' al. patent,it is to be understood that the inventionhas application to other typesof manuallyoperable circuit breakers wherein proper operation of thecircuit breaker is adversely affected by an operators holding theoperating handle of the breaker in closed or reset position for anexcessive period of time after he has closed the breaker.

In Figs. 1-3 there is shown a manually-controlled operating mechanismfor a circuit breaker which may be of the reclosing type shown in theMcCurryet al. patent. Manual closing of the breaker contacts (not shown)may be efiected, as-more fully described-in the McCurry et al. patent,by moving the arm 13 counterclockwise about the axis of operating shaft.14 from the open position of Fig. 1 to the closed or reset position ofFig. 2. As seen in Fig. 3, the shaft 14 is suitably'journaled at 15 inframe structure disposed on the usual circuit breaker housing. The shaft14 is fixedly related to-the arm 13 so'that rotationof the shaft 14willeifect operative movement of the arm-13.

In order to operatively rotate the" shaft 14 there is provided animproved handle structure 17 which cooperates with the adjacent framestructure 16 in a novel manner which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds. The handle structure 17 comprises a handle member18 suitably fixed with respect to the shaft 14, as by means of abolt 19.Thehandlemember 18 terminates at its outer end in an apertured generallyringshaped portion 20 which is adapted to receive a conventional hookstick indicated generally at 21, which isused to effect operativemovement of the handle member 18.

The apertured portion 20- hasan. open upper side, but for releasablyretaining the hook stickwithin the apertured portion and fortransmittingthe lifting force of the hook stick to the handle 18, thereis provided a releasable coupling or retaining structure 221 Thisretaining structure 22 is carried by the handle 18 and comprises alevertype clasp 23 and a retaining latch 24'. As seen in Fig. 3, theinner end of the lever or" clasp 23 is bifurcated to constitute a cleviswhich is pivotally'mountedon the hendle 18 bya pivot pin 25 whichextends through the handle 18 and into registering apertures formed inthe clevis. Pivot .pin 25 is suitably anchored into one arm of the claspclevis by the shoulder of the reduced portion 40 on one side of the armand the cotter pin 41 on the other side. Washers 42 on either side ofthe handle 18 provide for proper alignment of these associated parts.The clasp 23 is spring-biasedin clockwise direction about its pivot pin25 so. as to normally span the open side of the apertured portion of thehandle. The latch 24, which is pivotally supported on the handle 18 bymeans of a shouldered pin 26 riveted thereto is biased in acounterclockwise direction about its pivot pin 26 and is formed with anotch 27 which normally receives the catch 28 projecting from the clasp23, as shown in Fig. 1. For biasing the latch and'the clasp in theproper directions and into cooperating latched relationship, there isutilized a common torsionspring 29, encircling the pin and hearing atits opposite ends against the latch and the clasp respectively. Thus,when the clasp 23 is latched, an operators upward thrust of the hookstick 21 is normally resisted by the latched clasp so that the end ofthe handle 18 may act as a closed ring.

For disengaging the latch from the clasp at a predetermined point in theupward or closing stroke of the handle 18, there is provided adisengaging screw 30 which is adjustably mounted on the frame structure16, as by threading the screw into a suitably threaded aperture in theframe structure 16. For locking the screw in the movement of the handle.As this movement takes place,

coupling or retaining structure 22 serves to retain the hook stick inthe open-sided aperture portion 20 and to transmit the lifting action ofthe hook stick to the handle until the latch 24 engages the screw 30.When this engagement occurs, the screw 30 cams the latch 24 clockwiseabout its pivot and away from the catch 28 of the clasp 23. Thismovement unlatches the latch and the clasp, as a result of which theclasp 23 yields to the thrust of the hook stick so that the latter slipsthrough the now open side of the aperture and automatically freesitself'from effective force-transmitting relationship with the handle.Thus, it will be understood that the solid lines of Fig. 2 indicate thepoint at which the upwardly moving hook stick 21 is about to free itselffrom the handle 18 by rotating the clasp 23 against its light resettingspring 29 to its further position shown by the dotted lines, after whichan operator would draw the hook stick away entirely. The clasp 23meanwhile would have snapped back to its normally latched bridgingposition across the open end of the'handle 18. Now if the abovedescribed breaker closing action should take place in the McCurry et al.type of circuit breaker when there is a fault condition present on the.line, proper operation of the breaker, i. e. lock-out, would be possibleonly if the handle were permitted to move downwardly from the closedposition of Fig. 2 after a very short time delay. Where the handle is ofthe conventional ring type shown in the McCurry patent, it will beapparent that the hook stick, if not immediately withdrawn from the eyeof the handle, would interfere with this downward movement and adverselyaffect the circuit breaker operation by preventing the desired lock-out.In the present device, however, the clasp 23 is unlatched when thebreakeris closed so that even though the hook stick is held by theoperator in the upper position, the stick is now disengaged fromforce-transmitting relationship with the handle and,

thus, can ofier no effective resistance to a following downward orlock-out movement of the handle in the event that an opening operationimmediately ensues.

As more fully explained in the McCurry et al. patent,

if it is desired to manually open the breaker from the I normally closedposition indicated by Fig. 2, it is necessary merely to insert the hookstick in the ring-shaped apertured portion 20 of the handle 13 and thento pull the hook stick downwardly so as to pivot the handle into theposition of Fig. l.

A second form of the present invention is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 whereinthere is provided a handle 50 generally corresponding to the handle 18of Fig. 1. This handle 50 is pivoted on an operating shaft at 51 andterminates at its outer end in an open-sided apertured portion 52 whichis generally ring-shaped and which is adapted to receive a hook stickwhich is shown generally at 53. In a manner corresponding to thatdescribed with respect to Figs. 1-3, the hook stick is adapted to engagein the apertured portion and to move the handle 50 and the internalcontact operating arm 54 between the open position of Fig. 5 and theclosed position of Fig. 4. The book stick 53 as it is moved towardclosed position is releasably retained in the apertured portion 52 bycoupling or retaining structure comprising an upper arm 55 integral withthe handle. This retaining structure, or arm 55, transmits the closing,or lifting, force of the hook stick 53 to the handle 50 until the hookstick is cammed away from handle 50, as will appear more clearlyhereinafter.

For camming the hook stick 53out on engagement with the handle 50 at apredetermined point in the closing stroke of the handle, there isprovided adjustable release means comprising a cam plate 59 having a camsurface 6%, the cam plate being adjustably mounted on the adjacent framestructure 61. More particularly, the cam plate 59 is pivotally mountedclosely adjacent the handle 50 on a shaft 62 fixedly supported in theframe structure 61 and is biased in counterclockwise direction by asuitable spring 63. An adjusting screw 64, threaded in the enclosingstructure 61 bears against the upper end of the cam plate 59 so as tohold the cam plate in a predetermined desired position. A lock nut 65 isused to lock the adjusting screw in the desired position of adjustment.

'The operation of this form of the invention is as follows: When its isdesired to close the circuit breaker by manually moving the handle 50from the open position of Fig. 5 to the closed position of Fig. 4, thehook stick 53 is first inserted in the apertured portion 52 of thehandle, after which the hook stick is lifted to effect counterclockwisepivotal movement of the handle. As the hook stick is lifted it slidablyengages the cam surface 60, but the lifting action of the hook stickcontinues to be transmitted to the handle through the retainingstructure or arm 55 until the outer edge 56 of the retaining structuremoves into substantial alignment with the cam surface 60. When thisaligned condition occurs, the retaining structure or arm 55 is no longereffective to retain the hook stick in force-transmitting relationship tothe handle, as a result of which the disconnected hook stick, under theinfluence of the operators lifting action, continues moving along thecam surface 60 into the position closed position is effectivelyprevented.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing there is shown still another embodimentof the invention. In this embodiment of the invention, the releasablecoupling is disposed between the operating shaft and the handle insteadof between the hook stick and the handle. Referring more particularly toFig. 6, there is shown a handle 70 mounted on an operating shaft 71 sothat said handle is capable of pivoting relative to the shaft 71 but issuitably restrained from axial movement with respect. to the shaft.

The handle 70 is provided with an apertured portion 70a of ring-shapewhich is adapted to receive a hook stick 85 for effecting pivotalmovement of the handle about the axis of shaft 71. This pivotal movementof the handle, in a counterclockwise direction,v is normally transmittedto the shaft 71 by a releasable linkage 73 which comprises a crank arm74 keyed to the shaft 71 and a latch member 75 suitably pivoted by a pin76 on the handle 79. The latch member is formed with a shoulder 77'which normally engages behind a projection 78 carried by the crank arm74. For biasing the latch member and the projection into latchedrelationship there is provided a torsion spring surrounding the pin 76and tending to rotate the latch member counterclockwise about pin 76.

Operation of the mechanism of Figs. 6 and 7 is as follows. When it isdesired to manually close the circuit breaker by moving the handle fromthe position of Fig. 6 to the position of Fig. 7, the hook stick 85 isfirst inserted into the apertured portion of the handle. The hook stickis then lifted to eifect counterclockwise pivotal movement of the handleabout the shaft 71.. This pivotal movement of the handle is transmittedto the shaft 71 by the releasable linkage 73 until a screw 80,adjustably fixed to the frame structure 81, engages the surface 82 ofthe latch member 75, thereby causing the latch. member to pivotclockwise about pivot 76 so as to disengage the shoulder 77 from theprojection 78. As soon as this disengagement occurs, the operating shaft71 is uncoupled from force-transmitting relationship with the handle 70and the hook stick 85, the'instant of the uncoupling being illustratedin Fig. 7. Thus, if the operating shaft 71 is called upon to move toopen position immediately after being moved to closed position, it isfree to do so even though an operator might inadvertently hold the hookstick in the elevated or closed position of the circuit breaker handle70.

To manually open the circuit breaker when the handle 70 is in the closedposition of Fig. 7, it is necessary merely to rotate the handle 70 inclockwise direction by means of the hook stick engaged in aperturedportion 70a. This particularly, the elongated portion 75a constitutes astop which is effective to insure that the latch 75 will always bemaintained on the left-hand side of the projection 78, as seen in thedrawings.

While I have shown and described particular embodiments of my invention,it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made Without departing from my invention in itsbroader aspects and I, therefore, intend in the appended claims to coverall such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit andscope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, an operating shaft pivotally mounted on said frame structure,a manually operable handle member mounted on said operating shaft andhaving a generally ring-shaped portion which receives a hook stick,coupling means associated with said handle and normally interrelatingthe hook stick and the operating shaft in force-transmittingrelationship, and release arms disposed on said frame structure andcooperating 6 with said coupling means to automatically uncouple saidhook stick from force-transmitting relationship with said shaft afterpredetermined pivotal movement of said shaft.

2. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising ramestructure, an operating shaft pivotally mounted on said frame structure,a manually operable handle member mounted on said operating shaft andhaving a portion which receives a hook stick, coupling means associatedwith said handle and normally interrelating the hook stick and theoperating shaft in forcetransmitting relationship, and adjustablerelease means associated with said frame structure and cooperating withsaid coupling means to automatically uncouple said hook stick fromforce-transmitting relationship with said shaft after predeterminedpivotal movement of said shaft.

3. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, an operating shaft pivotally mounted 'on said framestructure, a handle member mounted on said shaft and having a portionwhich receives a hook stick for effecting movement of said shaft,releasable coupling means normally interrelating the hook stick and theshaft in force-transmitting relationship, said releasable coupling meanscomprising a latch member, and release means associated with said framestructure, said release means being positioned to engage said latchmember so as to automatically uncouple the hook stick fromforce-transmitting relationship with said operating shaft after apredetermined movement of said handle.

4. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually-operable handle member pivotally mounted on saidframe structure and having a generally ring-shaped apertured portionwhich is adapted to receive a hook stick for effecting operation of saidhandle, retaining structure carried by said handle member and effectiveto releasably retain said hook stick in said aperture inforce-transmitting relationship with said handle member, release meansassociated with said frame structure for rendering said retainingstructure ineffective to retain said hook stick in said aperture afterpredetermined pivotal movement of said handle.

5. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually-operable handle member pivotally mounted on saidframe structure and having an apertured portion which is adapted toreceive a hook stick for effecting operation of said handle, retainingstructure carried by said handle member and effective to releasablyretain said hook stick in said aperture in force-transmittingrelationship with said handle member, and adjustable release meansassociated with said frame structure for rendering said retainingstructure ineffective to retain said hook stick in said aperture afterpredetermined pivotal movement of said handle.

6. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually operable handle member pivotally mounted on framecasing structure and having an apertured portion which is adapted toreceive a hook stick for eifecting operation of said handle, retainingstructure cooperating with said handle member and effective toreleasably retain said hook stick in said aperture in force-transmittingrelationship with said handle member, said retaining structurecomprising a lever member extending at least partially across saidapertured portion and releasable latch means adapted to hold said levermember in force-transmitting relationship with said handle member, andrelease means associated with said frame structure for rendering saidretaining structure inefiective to retain said hook stick in saidaperture after predetermined pivotal movement of said handle.

7. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually operable handle member pivotally mounted on saidframe structure and having an apertured portion which is adapted toreceive a hook stick for efifecting operation of said handle, a levermember extending at least partially across said apertured portion andreleasable latch means normally latching said lever member inforce-transmitting relationship with said handle member, and releasemeans associated with said frame structure and comprising an elementengageable with said latch means to effect unlatching of said levermember after predetermined pivotal movement of said handle.

8. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually operable handle member pivotally mounted on saidframe structure and having an open-sided apertured portion which isadapted to receive a hook stick for effecting operation of said handle,retaining structure carried by said handle member and effective toreleasably retain said hook stick in said aperture in force-transmittingrelationship with said handle member, said retaining structurecomprising a lever member extending at least partially across the openside of said apertured portion and releasable latch means adapted tomaintain said lever member in force-transmitting relationship with saidhandle member, and release means associated with said frame structurefor rendering said retaining structure ineffective to retain said hookstick in said aperture after predetermined pivotal movement of saidhandle, said release means comprising projecting structure positioned toengage said latch means.

9. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually operable handle member pivotally mounted on saidframe structure and having an open-sided apertured portion which isadapted to receive a hook stick for effecting operation of said handle,a lever member extending at least partially across the open side of saidapertured portion and releasable latch means normally latching saidlever member in forcetransrnitting relationship with said handle member,and release means associated with said frame structure and comprisingprojecting structure engageable with said latch means to effectunlatching of said lever member, said projecting structure comprising athreaded member adjustably mounted on said frame structure.

10. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually-operable handle member pivotally mounted on saidframe structure and having an apertured portion which is adapted toreceive a hook stick for efiecting operation of said handle, retainingstructure carried by said handle member and effective to releasablyretain said hook stick in said aperture in force-transmittingrelationship with said handle member, adjustable release meansassociated with said frame structure for rendering said retainingstructure ineffective to retain said hook stick in said aperture afterpredetermined pivotal movement of said handle, said adjustable releasemeans comprising a cam plate adjustably mounted on said frame structureand engageable with said hook stick to earn said hook stick away fromsaid handle member after said predetermined movement of said handlemember.

11. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising framestructure, a manually-operable handle member pivotally mounted on saidframe structure and having an apertured portion which is adapted toreceive a hook stick for effecting operation of said handle, retainingstructure carried by said handle member and effective to releasablyretain said hook stick in said aperture in force-transmittingrelationship with said handle member, adjustable release meansassociated with said frame structure for rendering said retainingstructure ineffective to retain said hook stick in said aperture afterpredetermined pivotal movement of said handle, said adjustable releasemeans comprising a cam plate pivotally mounted on said frame structureand adjustably positioned by a threaded member, said cam plate beingengageable with said hook stick to cam said hook'stick 8 away from saidhandle member after said predetermined pivotal movement.

12. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising an operatingshaft, a handle member mounted on said shaft and having a portion whichreceives a hook stick for effecting movement of said shaft, releasablecoupling means between said shaft and said handle for normallyinterrelating the handle and the shaft in force-transmittingrelationship, said releasable coupling means comprising crank structureconnected to rotate with said shaft and releasable latch means normallylatching together said handle and said crank structure, release meanscooperable with said latch means to uncouple said handle, and said shaftfrom force-transmitting relationship after predetermined pivotalmovement of said shaft. 7

13. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising an operatingshaft, a handle member mounted on said shaft and having a portion whichreceives a hook stick for effecting movement of said shaft, releasablecoupling means between said shaft and said handle for normallyinterrelating the handle and the shaft in force-transmittingrelationship, said releasable coupling means comprising crank structureconnected to rotate with said shaft and releasable latch means normallylatching together said handle and said crank structure, release meanscooperable with said latch means to uncouple said handle and said shaftfrom force-transmitting relationship after predetermined pivotalmovement of said shaft, said release structure comprising a projectionwhich engages said latch means after said predetermined pivotalmovement.

14. In a circuit recloser of the type comprising frame structure, anoperating shaft pivotally mounted on said frame structure, a handlemounted on said operating shaft and movable from a first into a secondposition in response to lock-out of said recloser and manuallyreturnable toward said first position to effect reclosing of saidrecloser, said handle having a generally ringshaped portion whichreceives a hook stick for operating said handle between said first andsaid second positions; the combination with said handle of couplingmeans operatively interconnecting the hook stick and the operating shaftin force-transmitting relationship, and release means disposed on saidframe structure and cooperating with said coupling means toautomatically uncouple said hook stick from force-transmittingrelationship with said shaft after predetermined movement of said handlefrom said second toward said first position.

15. In a circuit recloser of the type comprising frame structure, anoperating shaft pivotally mounted thereon, a handle mounted on saidoperating shaft and movable from a first into a second position inresponse to lockout of said recloser and manually returnable toward saidfirst position to effect reclosing of said recloser, said handle havinga portion which receives a hook stick for'operating said handle betweensaid first and second positions; the combination with said handle oflatch means effective when latched to operatively connect said hookstick and said operating shaft in force-transmitting relationship, saidlatch means being operable when unlatched to uncouple said hook stickfrom forcetransmitting relationship with said shaft, and release meansengageable with said latch means after predetermined movement of saidhandle toward said first position to unlatch said latch means.

Kyle et al July 26, 1949 Harper Nov. 14, 1950

